Americans discover Europe – Third International Spring School at the Transatlantik-Institut

Continuous rain and a grey, cloudy sky were the first impressions of the old continent for the seven MBA-students arriving from the University of West Florida (UWF), Pensacola, on May 17, 2007. They had come for a 10-day intercultural exchange with the German MBA-class at the Transatlantik-Institut (TI) in Ludwigshafen. However, this rather cold welcome was soon forgotten in face of a Europe presenting itself from the bright and sunny side.

A comprehensive program of excursions into German and European economy, culture and
Politics, as well as class sessions together with the German students kept the American visitors busy. “I’ll sleep back in the US!” was the motto, and as a matter of fact, the seven guests seemed not to run out of enthusiasm and interest on the numerous trips. Company tours in Maastricht, Holland, a visit of the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium, the European Central Bank in Frankfurt, city tours in Mannheim and Heidelberg and many other trips and activities where part of Third International Spring School Program at the Transatlantik-Institut.

Back row (left to right): Wendy Ritz, Suzanne Hendricks, Kathrin Paul (TI), Prof. Dr. Gerhard Raab (TI), Prof. Dr. Tim Bryan (UWF); front row: Rey McCabe, Neil Fournie, Bruce Baker.

At the Transatlantik-Institut, the international orientation plays a big role, especially regarding the Executive MBA-Program in General and International Management. This was the third group of students from the UWF to take part in the Spring School program of the TI. In the opinion of the institute, no textbook, no lecture and no other medium can be a substitute for the direct contact with another culture and the first hand experience of the country itself.

The German MBA-students, who have most of their class sessions in the buidling of the institute in Ludwigshafen, visit their US-American University at two times during their studies. The program starts on the campus of the UWF with two weeks of classes. After 17 moths, the students come back to West Florida, to complete the last of the ten courses at and receive the academic degree of Master of Business Administration at their home university.

For most of the seven guests, this has been the first trip to the European continent and Germany. But many of them are already planning to come back or even take part in the Spring School again in 2008.

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